Big Brother good experience for kids of all ages

By Frank Curreri
Collegian Reporter
November 1, 2006

The typical day for a student at La Salle consists of attending two to three classes, followed by a little downtime, maybe some studying and that is basically it. For athletes and students involved in activities, that downtime is replaced with their respective organizations. For other students, this time can be better spent and make a difference at the same time, not only in a student’s life, but also for someone who is less fortunate than a college student.

I had the privilege of accompanying senior marketing major Zach Greaver to Emlen Elementary School last week. He is La Salle’s Big Brother/Big Sister intern. When first entering the school’s doors, my initial impression was that this place was a dingy, beat-up school – the same way many Philadelphia elementary schools are. The neighborhood is similar to that of La Salle’s: not the worst but one where it’s best to be watchful.

As I walk down the hall to watch Greaver meet up with his “little brother” Andrew, I pass several classrooms filled with students catching a glance of me walking by. Each and every one of them has glowing look of surprise because they know that one of their peers gets to spend time with a Big Brother.

Reaching the classroom, Andrew and Greaver greet each other and engage in a friendly handshake. Take that look of surprise and multiply it by 10, and you will be able to picture how surprised everyone in his class was to see Greaver and me. The kids immediately stopped what they were doing and dashed their way to greet us by firing off questions about what sport we play, how we are doing this year and how we like college.

Usually when Greaver visits Andrew, they will go over Andrew’s homework, play basketball, eat lunch and sometimes sit in the auditorium and talk. This day was a little different because Andrew’s teacher took the whole class down to play the gymnasium to the sport of their choice. To see the look of excitement in these kids’ eyes when she made the announcement was indescribable.

While the kids were playing, I was able to speak with his teacher about the effect Greaver has had on Andrew.

“I have definitely noticed a positive change in Andrew’s life because of Zach. Andrew is a great kid and has always been a respectful young boy. Before Zach’s visits, when Andrew didn’t know an answer to a question, he would always ask me,” she said. “Now, he will ask to look up a book or surf the Internet to see if he can’t find out the answer himself. You can definitely see Andrew’s maturation over these couple of years.”

I know I made a positive contribution just by being in the same room as these students. Any student-athlete that has been a part of the BB/BS program will surely attest to this feeling of reward that enters your body when you interact with these kids. La Salle’s sports teams are trying to promote this special program by having 100 percent participation within their sports teams.

Even with the aid to these students, there are so many more kids who need a positive influence in their lives. We should, and can, be there for them. This year, La Salle will be working with Logan Elementary, which is only a short walk away. I am challenging students who do not have a heavy load on their plates to join something that can be greater and more rewarding than anything you have done before. All it takes is one hour, every two weeks. Think about all of the time where we are just sitting around doing nothing. Now imagine what we could be doing and how someone who is less fortunate could benefit from it. The commitment is small but the effect on the children is tremendous. If you are interested in helping make a difference, please contact Greaver at greaverz1@lasalle.edu.

currerif1@lasalle.edu